S&L Seig and Lind case study

A multinational electronics company must choose a new manager with the right
management style to lead an international project team

Background:

Niel Selig and Pedar Lind founded their electronics company (S&L) in Copenhagen, Denmark,
in 1985. They developed the company by making top-of the-range electronics products for
higher-income groups. The products have a classic look, innovative designs and a distinctive
appearance. A highly successful company, S&L has expanded internationally and now has
over 500 stores worldwide.

Six months ago, an international team was assembled to carry out a project. Consisting of 16
members, the team was instructed to conduct a survey of S&L’s customer service to retail
outlets in six major European countries.

Unfortunately, the project has run into difficulties. Deadlines for submitting reports have been
missed, and morale in the project team is low. It has become apparent that the preset Project
Manager, Paul Johnstone, does not have the right style to manage the team. It has been
decided, therefore, to replace him with someone else within the organisation who has a more
suitable management style.
Management Style of Paul Johnstone

You are directors of S&L. You interviewed three members of the project team about Paul’s
style of management.

Listening –2.22, 2.23, 2.24 -- Work in small groups. Listen to comments and note down
the strengths and weaknesses of his style, using the following categories:

 Personality
 Communication
 Goal-setting
 Decision-making
 Monitoring performance
 Giving feedback

Replacing the Project Manager

The Directors of S&L have talked informally to several candidates who are interested in taking
over for Paul Johnstone. The candidates were asked to note down their management style.
Read the descriptions on the next page.

TASK:

1. Work in groups of 4. You are Directors of S&L. Each of you chooses a different candidate.
Make a persuasive presentation of your candidate to the other members of your group.

2. Working individually, rank the four candidates in terms of their suitability for the position
of Project Manager. Number 1 would be your first choice, number 4 the least suitable
candidate.

3. Working as a group, compare your decisions and choose one candidate to be the new
Project Manager.

4. Make a presentation to another group outlining the strengths and weaknesses of each
candidate and stating your choice of candidate with your reasons.
Manager 1: Ruth
Sales Manager: Central Europe
I’m strong, self-confident, sociable. I have high
expectations of co-workers.
My job:
 To give clear, detailed instructions which must be carried out. I’m not
interested in explanations if the work isn’t done.
 It’s important to give clear goals for each member of staff.
 Deadlines must be met at all costs. I won’t accept excuses.
 I’m a hands-on manager. I check all the time to make sure staff are doing
their job properly.
 I’m a good listener, but then I tell people what to do.
 Dealing with multinational staff is difficult. You have to tell them your
management style and what you expect from them.
 I’m a decisive person, but if I make a mistake, I admit it.
Staff appraisal interviews: Every three months, I discuss my team’s
weaknesses and strengths.
My strength: Leadership, achieving targets.
My personality: A workaholic, tough, fair, ambitious.
I like new challenges.
Manager 2: Eduardo
Manager, New Business
I’m a positive person – friendly, loyal, extrovert.
My job:
 To make sure that my staff really enjoy coming to work.
 I hold a lot of team meetings. Formal and informal.
 I always try to get everyone to agree before we make any decisions. It’s time-
consuming, but it’s my style.
 I don’t set goals. I talk to staff, and we agree on what goals they must
achieve.
 I don’t want the word decisive to define my style as I prefer to make decisions
in a group.
 I’m very good at sorting out staff problems, it’s the part of my job that I enjoy
the most.
 Dealing with international staff is no problem, as I treat everyone as
individuals.
Staff appraisal interviews: Once a year. I check with all staff each week to see if
everything’s ok.
My strength: Organized, a good listener, excellent interpersonal skills.
My personality: warm, understanding – very important to be liked by my team.
 Manager 3: Kazuo
Manager, Business Support Unit
I’m hard-working, democratic and loyal.
My job:
 To achieve the objectives and goals of the company.
 To ensure that each person in the department understands our goals and
shares in decision-making.
 I believe the company is more important than the individual. It is essential
never to let the company down.
 Hold many meetings, no time limit. Always consult staff on all decisions.
 Do no permit disagreement/ arguments. We want harmony at all times.
 Discuss aims with the team and set realistic targets.
 I work six days a week, sometimes seven. I expect staff to do the same.
 People should feel ashamed if they don’t meet company targets.
 I want to learn how to manage multicultural groups successfully.
Staff appraisal interview: every quarter
My strengths: Organising ability, getting the job done, loyalty to the
company.
My personality: quiet, determined, focused on results.
The case study was taken from Market Leader Upper Intermediate: Management Styles FT Publishing pgs. 72-73.
Manager 4: Martina
Manager, IT Department
I’m ambitious, trusting and responsible.
My job:
 To organize people so they get the work done.
 I set goals, after agreement with my people. I then give them responsibility
and authority to get the job done. They have to decide how to do it. Their
job? To carry out my instructions – to the letter!
 My priority is to make the right decisions as quickly as possible then get staff
to put them into practice.
 I use the bonus system to motivate my team. Everyone is motivated by
money.
Staff appraisal interviews: once a year. To be honest, they’re usually a waste of
time. I want a weekly update from each member of staff on how they’re
achieving their goals.
My strengths: Organising, leading teams, motivating getting the job done.
My personality: Tenacious, demanding, tough on the outside, but soft inside!